The present invention relates to a tape cassette push-out device for a tape recorder in which the device pushes out a tape cassette toward an insertion opening of the tape recorder after a holder holding the tape cassette is moved from a tape driving position to a position adjacent to the backside of the cassette insertion opening.
In many of the conventional tape recorder loading devices which include a holder for carrying a tape cassette from a cassette insertion opening to a tape drive device, the tape cassette is held by the holder, with part of the tape cassette projecting from the cassette insertion opening for the purpose of facilitating removal of the tape cassette at the time of the ejecting operation.
In another conventional method, push-out means, urged in a direction of pushing-out of the tape cassette, is pushed or urged by the tape cassette against the urging force to a position where locking means for the holder is operated so as to lock the tape cassette to the holder.
In this method, when the movement of the holder to effect the ejecting of the tape cassette is carried out, the above locking means is released, and the tape cassette is pushed out forwardly of the holder by the urging force applied to the push-out means.
In the first-mentioned conventional tape cassette-loading device, it is necessary for the holder to be moved backwardly an extra distance corresponding to the amount the tape cassette projects from the cassette insertion opening. Therefore, the depth of the tape recorder is correspondingly increased, and such a tape recorder is not suited for use in a vehicle, in which case the tape recorder is mounted on an automobile dashboard or the like.
The second-mentioned conventional loading device has a drawback in that, since the tape cassette is pushed by the urging force of the push-out means at the time of the ejecting, the tape cassette is abruptly urged forwardly immediately after the lock for the is released. Thus, the cassette jumps forwardly from the tape recorder.